Events
Civil Discourse Launch
In February 2023, Sibling Cities launched its Civil Discourse program. The kick-off included mayors of inaugural cities Bloomington, IN, and Palo Alto, CA , along with Living Room Conversations Co-Founder Joan Blades and former IU President & Stanford Dean Tom Ehrlich.
Both Town Halls and small group discussions using the Living Room Conversations platform will be held among residents of the two cities during the next year. Some kickoff attendeees participated in the first Living Room Conversations event afterward, and the response was enthusiastic! You can hear from participants and watch the Launch Event below.
First-Ever City Pair Kickoff!
“In this moment to have a group of mayors and cities and citizens come together and decide that we want to recognize ourselves institutionally and civilly as siblings, this is something to be excited about, something to rejoice in, and certainly lend support to.”
TARA VANDERVEER
Indiana University alumna and Stanford
Women's Basketball Head Coach
“As a coach, one of the things that I really feel is the most important part of our team is the fact that we have a sisterhood, so if we can encourage sisterhood between Palo Alto and Bloomington I think that would be a great service.”
CORNELL WILLIAM BROOKS
Former NAACP President and professor
at Harvard University
GUEST SPEAKERS
On 15, February 2022, the mayors of Bloomington, IN and Palo Alto, CA entered the first ever Sibling Cities agreement during a launch celebration. Former NAACP President Cornell William Brooks and Stanford Womens Basketball Head Coach Tara VanDerveer were featured speakers. You can watch the video of the event below!
